Arapahoe Basin opened its slopes at 9 a.m. giving skiers and boarders a chance “to make turns on the intermediate High Noon trail,” the resort said. The Black Mountain Express high-speed quad chairlift is running to midmountain, the resort said.

The mountain began snowmaking Oct. 2, and maintenance crews were able to create the 18-inch base needed to open its slopes over the course of several days, according to a news release.

The ski area also was blanketed in roughly a foot of snow during the past few weeks.

“Conditions have been outstanding for snowmaking, and we are very excited to open this Friday,” chief operating officer Alan Henceroth said in a statement.

Tickets for opening day through Dec. 19 will run $69 for adults, $57 for youths and $34 for children.

Breaking news reporter. He has worked at The Denver Post since the summer of 2014, covering cops, courts, politics, environment, skiing and everything in between. He loves telling stories about Colorado's mountain towns and the Eastern Plains and wants to make sure our newspaper's great work extends into their communities.

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